Necessities - Schedule


I have added the classroom schedule to the sidebar under Necessities - Take Home Folder. This item will be located on the folder that is given out on the first day of school. For your convenience, I have added it here in the off-chance that it is misplaced.

You know your child is gaming too much when...

Cartoon #3320 - 'There isn't a joystick. Try the chalk.'

Plan Ahead for Tax-Free Weekend

In May of this year our governor, Charlie Crist, signed House Bill 483, the Back to School Sales Tax Holiday. For 3 days, Florida families will not be charge sales taxes on many school supplies and clothing. This year, the tax-free week occurs on August 13th through August 15th, just in time for the start of school.

Know what is tax-free and what is not tax-free 

Some qualify book bags and backpacks as tax free items. Others say book bags are taxable but backpacks are exempt. States have different guidelines on which items qualify for the sales tax holiday. Review publication #10A01-04 to know what does and does not qualify.

Identify Dollar Limits 
Dollar limits usually apply to each item you buy, as opposed to your entire purchase having to fall under a certain amount. 
 
Make a List
Print out a copy of the our school supply list for this year and write your list for clothing that will be needed. Check to see if the items you listed are eligible. Just because school supplies are on the list of nontaxable items doesn't mean all school supplies will actually qualify. Checking your list against the state's list ensures you're not losing pennies on the dollar with every purchase. 

Compare Prices
Look for the hottest deals. Use the sales circulars from the St. Petersburg's Times to compare prices on the items you wish to buy. Also, visit the web sites of several stores where you usually shop. For example, if you tend to buy your kids' jeans at Old Navy, visit their web sites during tax free week to find out which store is offering the better deal. Do the same for items such as school supplies, computers, and even sneakers.

Savvy Cyber-Safety

The Internet is a wonderful and exciting thing and has the potential to offer its users, young and old alike a wide range of opportunities--the opportunity to learn, keep informed, develop new skills, to keep in touch with family and friends and even to make new ones. With the Internet, children now have access to museums and libraries from across the globe. The world is definitely a smaller place and we can make virtual journeys almost any where that we want to go. However, the Internet holds many dangers, especially to the most vulnerable of all--children. 

There is not a day that goes by that the new is not reporting about computer hacking, identity theft, cyber-bullying or the like. But when it comes to protecting children the root of the problem is also the source of the solution. The greatest benefit of the Internet is that it offers a plethora of information that can be used to protect children. More and more web sites are popping up to offer tips and give parents information in order to fight these threats to ensure safety.

Please do a BING or Google search to glean more information or use the links below links to read more and gather all the information you can to protect your child.

Necessities - Take Home Folder

Inside the student's Take Home folders that I am making for the new school year will be necessities such as alphabet chart, blend chart, along with charts for shapes, coin, days of the week and months of the year. In the off chance that these pages are misplaced, for your convenience, I have added them to the sidebar of the blog, under the heading Necessities - Take Home Folder.

Welcome to School

Easing the fear of new school year anxiety is a must. Even if children don't express their anxiety they could be keeping it all inside.  A recommended reading list for new and returning students and their parents will go a long way in preparing them for the first day of school. 

Books like the Miss Bindergarten series, as well as, the lovable Junie B. Jones series by Barbara Parks will make young children laugh and help them relate to the experiences of the characters.  Books have a way of turning anxiety into anticipation and making the unfamiliar seem more familiar.

Other books that can be included on the list are:
Enjoy preparing for school together, as a family...read a book!

    Summer is here but teachers every where are thinking, even if it is still 41 days away, about the new academic year. What will I display? What colours will I use?

    Right now, I think of my classroom as a blank canvas that is awaiting to inspire, enthuse, and motivate my new class. But I wonder each summer just how important are the displays I choose in the classroom, are those hours spent creating the new classroom environment worth it, and how much is too much? How much is too much is always a difficult question for me to answer and often times I do think that I go overboard (just a little).

    An environment that is stimulating is important. That statement may be overly simplistic and obvious but cannot be emphasized enough. Educational psychologists have found that the environment that a child has in the classroom can have a large impact on children's learning. There are classrooms that alienate children and those that engage them. There are classrooms that are cold and clinical and those that are comforting, warm, and inviting. Research shows that children who feel engaged in their classroom are more receptive to learning.

    I may not be able to change the colour of the walls, the shape of the classroom,  or how many windows it has, but what I can change is the way the classroom is perceived. For instance, banners, signs, and hanging displays can adjust the height of  the room, adjust the light, and definitely make the humdrum yellow  walls fade into the background. A genuine sense of excitement with pops of colour, in the classroom can make for excited students.  When you enter a classroom that is thought out, colourful, and has a homey feeling,  with quiet nooks; you can tell that the children are loved and entering a place in which they can learn, be nurtured and this nurturing, loving ambiance affects how well students grasp the concepts that are meant to be learned and thus students are happy they are learning.

    The classroom can be many things. As well as making the classroom lovelier to look at, it can be a learning tool, a way of engaging children and building the class community and a means of creating a sense of ownership in the classroom. It can also provide a different kind of learning that is not just a place to get school work done, but a place that students can feel comfortable and happy.


    Newly Acquired Colour

    One of the many themes this coming school year will be the Science of Colour. With that in mind, I looked for some new books over the weekend and purchased four for the classroom library. 

    Little Tommy, in The Art Lesson by Tomie dePaola, wants to be an artist when he grows up, so he is exhilarated to learn that he'll have art lessons each week in first grade.  Little Tommy soon discovers that the art class does not live up to his expectations. Through compromise with the teacher, Tommy is allowed to follow through with his dream. 

    Leo Lionni's classic little blue and little yellow was  developed while Lionni was on a train trip with his grand-kids.  He had no drawing materials with him on the trip so  he began tearing circles of colour from a magazine. He then orally told the story to the children. Much later he wrote the story down to share it with the public. This story has many layers of meaning, all illustrated with spots of colour, from the story of friendship to the exploration and discovery of colour through feelings and prejudice. We are shown Little Blue as a ragged circle of blue on the white page. Later we meet his mother and father, friends, but especially Little Yellow who lives across the street with Mama Yellow and Papa Yellow. Using only these simple shapes, Lionni shows the children at school and at play.

    Matthew's Dream also by Lionni is about a poor Mouse named Matthew. While he is at a museum he decides he wants to be an artist. As sleep comes that night, he dreams of being an artist and no longer being poor. The next day he takes up painting. Eventually, with hard work and determination his dream comes true and he is a world famous artist. The important message of this story is  that dreams are something to aspire to but it comes with hard work.

    I also purchased, Purple, Green, and Yellow which is an especially fun book. The main character, Bridget, is a artist wanna be who loves magic markers and asks her mother for a box of 500 water colour markers. The book takes us all back to the days of coloring and expressing our creativity in both acceptable and unacceptable ways.

    I look forward to witnessing the budding artists in my class in the fall.

    The Necessities - Flashcards



    Today, I have uploaded Word Wall flashcards and number flashcards (1-50 and 51-100). The WW flashcards are arranged per unit (1 unit per week and 7 words per unit).

    You will find the spelling lists and the reading logs listed under the heading of  Flashcards, on the sidebar.

    An Inch Here. A Foot There.

    Yesterday, I measured, moved furniture, measured again, and then again and found that the previous layout that I created, unfortunately, wouldn't work and there was too much wasted space. Plus, it would be nearly impossible to regulate the quiet activities and the more boisterous activities during center time.

    In this layout, the reading area is secluded in the corner and closed in on three sides (two walls and a one partition) with two tables and two shelves clustered in the center of the room. The two other large tables are anchored to the walls. The lightly x-ed out area on the plan is open for class games as well as Word Wall and calendar activities. This layout feels like it should work, but then the other one did also.

    Tomorrow, I will try a portion of this layout and see how it feels.

    On Friday, I will post a few more necessities for your use.


    The Necessities - Spelling

    This school year First Grade students will be able to choose from two levels of spelling words--Level A or Level B. I have uploaded the spelling words for the year, with the exception of special list (colours, numbers, Halloween, Thanksgiving, etc.) that will be used periodically.

     
    Each month, students will be responsible for reading 20 minutes each night, whether it be reading with a sibling, be read to, or reading independently. The logs for the year have been uploaded, in the event that you need an addition copy.

    You can find the spelling lists and the reading logs listed under the heading of Spelling & Homework, on the sidebar.

    Great Summer Time Read-Alouds

    Would you? Could you? In a car? 
    Eat them. Eat them. There they are.
    You may like them. You will see.
    You may like them in a tree.

    Reading together should not stop in the summer and summer is a great time to have an adventure in the library.

    Here is a list of some of my favourite read-aloud books


    • Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss
    • The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss
    • Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
    • Love You Forever by Robert N. Munsch
    • The Mitten by Jan Brett
    • Stellaluna by Janell Cannon
    • Oh, The Places You'll Go by Dr. Seuss
    • Strega Nona by Tomie De Paola
    • Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst
    • The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams
    • How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss
    • The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka
    • Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by John Archambault
    • The Complete Tales of Winnie the Pooh by A. A. Milne
    • If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Joffe Numeroff
    • The Lorax by Dr. Seuss
    • Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman
    • Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg
    • Math Curse by Jon Scieszka
    • Are You My Mother by Phillip D. Eastman
    • Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey
    • One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss
    • The Napping House by Audrey Wood
    • Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig
    • The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
    • Horton Hatches the Egg by Dr. Seuss
    • Basil of Baker Street by Eve Titus
    • The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper
    • Curious George by Hans Augusto Rey
    • Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox
    • Arthur series by Marc Brown
    • Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes
    • The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton
    • Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish
    • The Art Lesson by Tomie De Paola
    • Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina
    • Clifford, the Big Red Dog by Norman Bridwell
    • Horton Hears a Who by Dr. Seuss
    • The Paper Bag Princess by Robert N. Munsch

    Cleared Mind Equals New Thought Process

    In a previous post, I wrote that I felt the need to shake it up a bit this year and try something new  within the classroom that was dynamic. I think that I may be on to something here with this layout.

    Last week, I was able to sort, toss, and re-purpose some books, supplies, and furniture as well as move three large pieces of furniture to new locations. This process not only cleared items on my to-do list, but also freed my mind to think in a new direction. The layout, shown on the left, is the result of my newly cleared mind.

    This layout shows the library area in the center of the classroom with the tables surrounding that area, creating natural centers for learning.

    During this week, I will spend time trying out this layout and tweeking it. It should be fun! I will let you know what happens.

    Also, this week, I will be adding some additional necessities to the blog (i.e. spelling lists and reading logs for kindergarten and first grade).


    Happy Independence Day!


    Have a wonderful, safe, and educational Fourth of July!


    Books




    Printable Writing Paper



    The Necessities

    What would a classroom blog be without links to things you can use throughout the school year. Some things are necessities.

    Under the heading of School Papers, on the sidebar, I have added links to:

    100-Number Chart

    Word Wall Words (a complete list for the year)

    Writing Paper - First Grade

    Writing Paper - Kindergarten
     
    More necessities will be added as the year progresses.

    The Love of Reading

    An intense love of reading is what I have. I will read anything, read anywhere, and read anytime. I always carry reading material with me, but it was not always that way.

    Without my father's early concern, intervention, and involvement, I would have continued to struggle with reading throughout my school years and I probably would not have been able to go to college and then to graduate school. 

    But this is not about me.


    In an effort to support the development of your child's love of reading, a love they carry with them for life, there are a few things that you can try at home.
    • Have your child preview a book before reading it. Have a discussion about the illustrations, giving them a clue as to what the story is about beforehand. In class, I may ask the children to take a  illustration journey before we read new literature. This assists not only with reading comprehension but it also gives them more comfort.
    • Have your child read aloud to younger siblings or even a favourite stuffed friend. This environment makes for more casual reading, free from judgment. Plus, it promotes independence!
    • Share the job of reading aloud. If your child becomes overwhelmed by reading an entire book alone become their reading partner. A partner reads aloud that the same time. This method helps to avoid pauses and after reading a difficult sentence, you can then revisit the words that were troublesome. Be certain to have your child track their reading with their finger.
    • Take turns reading aloud. You can alternate pages.
    • Read things other than books. Other reading experiences are valuable also. Read the ingredients for a recipe, a comic book, or even environmental print, such as road signs, store signs, and billboards.
    • Allow your child's interests to dictate what you read together. Go on a special trip to the bookstore or the library and browse through books on baseball, ballet, bicycle racing, or  butterfly collecting. You can even do your browsing online at Barnes & Noble or Amazon.
    Let me know what is working for you at home.

    Classroom Guide

    Click the image below to go to a printable version.
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